Atlantic City, June 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hundreds of older adults, caregivers, healthcare professionals, social service providers, community leaders and advocates gathered Friday, June 5, for the 2nd Annual NJ Healthy Aging Summit on Opioid Safety & Alternatives at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino.
Convened by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), the statewide summit focused on opioid safety, evidence-based alternatives for pain management, safe medication storage and disposal, and resources that support healthy aging among New Jersey’s older adults. It was supported by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, part of the New Jersey Department of Human Services.
“Older adults are often overlooked in discussions about the opioid epidemic, but they face very real risks,” said PDFNJ Executive Director Angelo M. Valente. “Many manage chronic pain, take multiple prescriptions, and experience changes in how their bodies process medication as they age, which can increase the risk of opioid misuse, dependency, or dangerous drug interactions. This summit gave older adults, caregivers and professionals access to information, tools and resources to help them make safer, more informed choices.”
In New Jersey, older adults had the highest number of suspected overdose deaths in 2025, with 278 deaths, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. That was more than any other age group, including teens and young adults. Nationally, overdose deaths involving fentanyl among adults ages 65 and older have increased by more than 9,000 percent since 2015.
The summit addressed the importance of a broader approach to healthy aging, including physical health, mental wellness, nutrition, movement, safe and supportive communities, and access to services. Sessions highlighted practical strategies to help older adults and their families better understand opioid risks, manage pain safely, and access community-based support.
Dr. Stephen Cha, Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, provided welcome remarks to open the conference. The program also included remarks from Suzanne Borys, Ed.D., Assistant Division Director of the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Office of Planning, Research, Evaluation and Prevention.
The summit featured nationally recognized experts and New Jersey health leaders addressing the growing vulnerabilities facing older adults in the opioid crisis. Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Medical Director of Opioid Policy Research at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and Executive Director of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, provided an overview of the opioid epidemic and opioid alternatives.
Dr. Diane P. Calello, Executive and Medical Director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center, and Danielle R. Bartsche, Public Health Education Specialist with the New Jersey Poison Control Center, presented on the safe storage and disposal of opioids and other medications.
A panel discussion on healthy aging featured Kolodny; Dr. Shuvendu Sen, Vice Chair of Research and Faculty at Jersey Shore University Medical Center; Dr. Laura Byham-Gray, Professor and Vice Chair for Research with the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at the School of Health Professions at Rutgers University; and Paul Vidal, owner of Specialized Physical Therapy and past president of the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey.
Robin Stoloff, host of “Living Well with Robin Stoloff,” served as Master of Ceremonies. The event also included movement and fitness sessions led by Shebah Carfagna, 2025 AARP Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete and founder of Panache Fitness Company, and Nate Wilkins, 2025 AARP Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete and co-founder of Ageless Workout.
“Healthy aging is something we can support, strengthen, and protect when we come together with the right information, the right resources, and the commitment to meet people where they are,” Valente said. “Each of us has a role in protecting older adults and strengthening our families and communities.”
To learn more, visit NJHealthyAging.org.
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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $200 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 232 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.
Lisa Batitto Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey 973-467-2100 news@drugfreenj.org